Tomato seedlings are not growing. What to do? Why does tomato seedlings grow poorly, and what to do in this case? Why do tomato seedlings grow poorly

Tomatoes are a favorite vegetable. In most regions, you have to grow tomatoes through seedlings. And at this stage, difficulties often arise: they landed on time tomatoes, seedlings growing poorly.

What measures need to be taken to correct the situation, as well as to understand your mistakes in order to prevent them in the future.
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How to grow tomato seedlings

Seed preparation. Getting starts with seeds. So first you need to check seed germination. To do this, we make a saline solution and pour out the seeds. Sick, weak, empty ones will float to the top, and full-fledged seeds will sink to the bottom, rinse them in running water.

Now seeds need to be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes. You can use aloe juice diluted in half with water for disinfection. Seeds are kept in this mixture for a day. These methods will help raise the immunity of future seedlings.

To obtain strong stocky plants, you should carry out seed hardening, which are wrapped in a cloth, filled with water per centimeter and alternately kept either in the refrigerator or in a warm place for two days.

With poor-quality soil, it is impossible to get healthy strong seedlings. The soil can be purchased at a store of well-known manufacturers or prepared independently from humus, peat, sand, a little ash and complex fertilizer or superphosphate.

Tomato seedlings grow 50-60 days, which allows you to calculate the sowing time. Pour the prepared soil into a box, water it, make grooves in 2-3 cm increments, sow the seeds, cover with earth, cover with foil and put in a warm place for germination.

seedling care

Tomatoes are heat-loving crops. Therefore, when growing seedlings, it is necessary to observe temperature regime: daytime temperature should be 16-18 degrees, and at night 13-15.

When the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, they should be dive in separate cups or pots.

Further plant care is reduced to timely watering, top dressing. Picked seedlings can be sprayed daily with a mixture of low-fat milk (a glass of milk per liter of water), which will protect plants from viral diseases. Two weeks after picking, tomatoes are fed with nitrophoska (a tablespoon of fertilizer per bucket of water).

And two weeks before planting tomatoes in a greenhouse or open ground should be carried out.

Why seedlings do not grow well?

What can cause the seedlings to grow slowly after they are planted in cups?

Nutrient deficiency. During this period, plants need nitrogen to build green mass. With a small amount of nitrogen in the soil, plants develop poorly, have a thin stem, a small leaf of a yellowish tint. In this case, it is enough to feed the plants with a solution of urea (a tablespoon per bucket) under the root. If the sheet on the wrong side has purple hue, then the plant lacks phosphorus, which is necessary for the normal development of the root system. In this case, you need to prepare an extract from superphosphate or feed the plant complex fertilizer. Good result obtained by feeding with sodium humate - a growth stimulator. The solution is diluted to the color of tea, and poured into a glass in a bush. The first feeding after picking is carried out after two weeks and further fed after 12-14 days.

Wrong watering can also lead to slow growth of the tomato. It is impossible to allow the earth to dry out in a glass, but it is also not worth pouring heavily, you can provoke diseases with a black leg. Excess water reduces the resistance of tomatoes to temperature extremes, and the plants stretch. Seedlings are usually watered with settled water. room temperature once every five days.

lack of lighting also slows down the development of tomatoes. In spring, the day is short, so you need to further increase the daylight hours by setting fluorescent lamp and turn it on every day for 12 hours.

If the house has cats a, then measures should be taken to protect the seedlings from the pet. Cats are very curious and will definitely explore the landings. And the earth in pots can provoke them to use as a toilet, which can cause the death of seedlings.

So we figured out how to grow tomatoes, if seedlings do not grow well and found out the reasons for this. Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, everything will be fine, and tomatoes will delight you with an excellent harvest.


how to grow tomato seedlings

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Many people prefer to grow tomatoes in their gardens. After all, this vegetable has not only high palatability, but also very useful for the body as a whole. Experienced gardeners grow tomatoes with such ease that they do not understand what problems can arise with this vegetable. However, inexperienced summer residents sometimes have difficulties. They can occur even at the first stage of vegetable growth, and these problems lie in the fact that tomato seedlings do not grow. In this article, we will explain why this happens, what measures can be taken, and whether seedlings can be saved.

Tomatoes are quite whimsical plants and require constant care.

Tomatoes and their beneficial properties

homeland of the tomato South America. Interestingly, wild forms of this plant can still be found there. The tomato came to our country only in the 18th century.

It's hard to imagine more healthy vegetable than a tomato. It is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and B, starch, folic acid, nicotinic acid, iron, iodine, magnesium, calcium and many others. But the most important of these is lycopene. Thanks to this substance, tomatoes have a red color, and for humans it is important because lycopene is an antioxidant, and it is also able to fight cancer cells.

Interestingly, tomatoes are used in medicinal purposes. For example, if you have problems with constipation, it is recommended to drink tomato juice after every meal. Continue this treatment for two weeks. And also people with atherosclerosis are recommended to use tomatoes in any form and as much as possible. Medicinal properties tomatoes increase when combined with fats. So if you like tomato salad dressed sunflower oil, then this is only at your fingertips.

Tomato salad is a light and tasty summer dish that is easy to prepare even for a novice cook.

And tomatoes are used in cosmetology. If you make a mask of tomato juice and apply it on your face, then after 15 minutes your skin will become more elastic. And with regular use of a mask of tomatoes and cottage cheese, you can get rid of wrinkles.

How to grow tomatoes

If you live in the northern regions of the country, where the summer is short, then it is best for you to grow tomatoes through seedlings. And in the event that you expect to see the harvest as early as possible, it is also recommended to use seedlings.

Naturally, you can purchase seedlings immediately before planting them in open ground, but if you grow seedlings yourself, you will be sure of the quality. planting material. In addition, when buying ready-made seedlings, you can not always be sure which tomatoes you will end up with. And when growing it at home, you can avoid these problems.

Before you start planting seeds, they need to be sorted out and disinfected. Choose the largest and healthiest seeds. Such seeds must be of the same size and have Brown color. Then proceed to the disinfection process. You can choose a well-known and proven method. To do this, tomato seeds are placed in a light solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. You can also choose a different method of disinfection. To do this, tomato seeds are placed in aloe juice diluted 50% with water. Keep the seeds in this solution for a day. After this method, tomatoes grown from these seeds will be stronger and have strong immunity.

Proper planting of tomato seeds in the soil implies their thorough preparation.

Now start planting seeds in the ground. Tomato seedlings grow for about 50-60 days. From this data, you should calculate the time of their landing.

In order to plant seedlings, you will need to take:

  • pots or boxes;
  • fertile soil;
  • seeds.

Buy land for planting seeds in the store. Pour it into pots or a pre-prepared box and pour plenty of warm water, make a small depression in the ground (no more than a centimeter). If you use a box, then keep a distance of three centimeters between plants. Also, if you plant different types tomatoes, do not plant them in the same container. Put two seeds in each recess and sprinkle with a small layer of earth. Do not water at this stage. And then use a spray bottle for watering. Use it until the seedlings get stronger.

After planting the seeds, move the pots to the windowsill, closer to the light. Also illuminate the seedlings with a lamp from time to time. In the room where your tomatoes grow, the air temperature should be 24 degrees above zero, keep an eye on this. Ready seedlings on the 50-60th day, they are planted in open ground, where they continue to look after her, watering and periodically feeding.

Why seedlings do not grow

Sometimes it happens that the tomato seedlings that you planted grow poorly or do not grow at all. Why is this happening and what to do in such a situation?

The first time after planting, seedlings need special care and regular watering

There are several reasons why seedlings grow poorly:

  1. Bad seeds. Your planting material was obviously bad. The seeds might just be out of date. It is not recommended to plant seeds that are more than 5-6 years old. And also you could not sort out the seeds, and then they could not be disinfected.
  2. Unsuitable soil. For planting seedlings, you took poor soil. If you are not sure about the quality of the land, then it would be best to purchase it in a specialized store. Also, poor soil can be a source of diseases and pests.
  3. Lack of light and heat. Another problem is why tomato seedlings do not grow. Tomatoes are very heat-loving and sun-loving plants, respectively, the lack of one of these factors can lead to poor growth plants. Keep the temperature in the room around 24 degrees and periodically turn on the tomato lamp.
  4. Excess or lack of moisture. Proper watering- recipe for success. The soil near the seedlings should not be allowed to dry out, but swamps should not be arranged either, otherwise the seedlings will not grow well. This is important condition why this culture is not growing.
  5. Lack of nutrients. Seedlings will not stop growing because of this, but may slow down in growth. Therefore, it is periodically recommended to feed the plant with fertilizers.
  6. Cat. No matter how ridiculous it may sound, but through the fault of this animal, the seedlings may die. To do this, the cat only has to urinate into the ground with the plant. If there is a cat in your house, then in no case do not allow it to seedlings.

Follow all the rules for planting tomatoes, and you will succeed.

The usual story - we choose a bag of seeds for a long time, buy it, sow it, wait for seedlings. Everything seems to be fine, but suddenly the seedlings begin to weaken and wither. How to help green shoots? Below are some tips on what to do if tomato seedlings are growing poorly.

Possible reasons

There are quite a few reasons why the seedlings stopped growing and began to wither. Among them and improper watering, and poorly selected soil, and low temperature indoors, and plant diseases. Let's try to establish the correct diagnosis and "cure" tomato seedlings.

nutritional deficiency

Lack of nutrition is the rarest reason why tomato seedlings grow slowly. Nutrients in a properly balanced soil are sufficient for the growth and development of healthy plants. In addition, many gardeners soak the seeds in a solution of "Zircon" or "Epin" before planting.

But it is possible and necessary to pamper grown plants with “something tasty”. Better to use folk remedies. Here are common recipes that tell you how to feed tomatoes. Crush the shells of three or four eggs, pour into plastic bottle, pour warm water. Do not screw on the cap on the bottle. Insist until the solution becomes cloudy, but not more than five days. Ready solution water the seedlings after watering with water, at the rate of a teaspoon per plant. Similarly, you can organize fertilizing with yeast (preferably fresh).

Ten grams of fresh yeast is dissolved in 2 liters of water with a spoonful of sugar, kept for a day and seedlings are watered after the main watering. Top dressing should not fall on the plant - water the soil. Use for irrigation of rain or melted snow water. Tomato seedlings respond well to such watering. Two weeks before planting in open ground, you can water the seedlings with a solution of the Athlete preparation (according to the instructions). It will slightly stop the growth of the aerial part, but will improve the development of the root system.

Irrigation mistakes.

Tomato is a plant that loves water. In the absence of regular watering, it turns yellow, withers and dries. But an excess of moisture in the soil can also lead to similar consequences. Therefore, for tomato seedlings, watering is applicable as the soil dries. We determine the need for watering by touch, slightly deepening our fingers into the ground. If the soil in the container is dry, and the tomato has turned yellow, everything is simple - water it. But with overflow it will be more difficult:

  1. Be sure to check if there is landing capacity drainage hole.
  2. Make an additional drainage hole to remove excess water.
  3. Lay a dry cloth or piece on the ground toilet paper. Some of the moisture will be absorbed.
  4. loosen upper layer(for example, with a toothpick) a day or two after watering, when soil moisture returns to normal.

Too little or too much light

Lack of light is another reason why tomato seedlings are slowly forming. Tomatoes need lighting for at least 12 hours a day. In the evening, you need to additionally highlight the plants. If you rely only on the sun, the seedlings will begin to stretch, become thinner and may die. But at night, when the process of assimilation of nutrients by plants takes place, it is not necessary to illuminate them.

Low but dense tomato seedlings are always better than tall and thin ones.

Bright solar lighting also prevents proper growth. The leaves of the seedlings begin to burn, turn yellow and the plant dies.

Wrong temperature

Compliance temperature regime- an important condition for obtaining good planting material. For proper cultivation Tomatoes are suitable for temperatures between 18°C ​​and 22°C. Temperature fluctuations in the direction of increase, of course, are permissible, but for a short period. The boundary temperature at which the seedlings dry and die is 36°C. And if the room temperature remains below 15 ° C for several days, you will notice that the seedlings have stopped growing. Three "DO NOT" when growing seedlings:

  1. You can not put a tray with plants close to the battery.
  2. It is impossible to ventilate so that the flow of cold air falls on the seedlings.
  3. Do not place plants on an uninsulated window sill.

Unsuitable soil

Land for planting seedlings must be prepared in advance. This can be soil purchased from a store with a pH level in the range of 5.5-6.0 or a planting mixture prepared by yourself. For homemade mixture we take:

  • rotted sifted compost (or humus) - 2 parts;
  • garden land (from the future garden) - 1 part;
  • coarse sand or perlite - 0.25 parts.

This mixture is rich nutrients, and the seedlings planted in it will better transfer the subsequent planting to the garden. In both cases, the soil must be disinfected.

The easiest way is to start buying or preparing the soil mixture in the fall and store it on the street or on the loggia for complete freezing.

For seedlings, you can not take acidic, dense soil, which, with regular watering, becomes even denser and does not allow air to enter the root system. If the reason that the tomato seedlings are very weak is poor soil, picking into high-quality soil will help correct the situation.

Wrong pick

Every gardener knows from past experience how many tomato bushes he can place in his garden. Don't germinate too many seeds. The method "the more the better" leads to the fact that there will be many seedlings, and they will slowly develop, stretching out and interfering with each other. Ideally, already at the germination stage, you can place the seeds in the ground with gaps between them (1.5 cm by 1.5 cm), and then pick them into separate pots. In this case, if a plant gets sick, you do not have to throw away the entire container. And planting a tomato in a garden bed, performed by transshipment, will save time on rooting a bush.

If a lot of seeds sprouted in the tray, choose only best plants. Dive when the plant has three formed leaves. Common mistake, which leads to the death of the plant - premature picking. Small frail seedlings will not give a strong, abundantly fruiting bush.

Check seeds for germination and sow right amount with an addition of 10-20% in case of force majeure.

Diseases and pests

Tomato seedlings are sick, like mature plant. Among the common diseases of tomato seedlings: fusarium, black leg, rot. Fusarium - fungal disease, which affects the vascular system of the plant. Infected tomatoes wither and turn yellow, starting from the lower leaves. Sometimes they can be saved by transplanting into fresh soil. But more often, the plants die.

Initial Purchase seed material, resistant to the causative agent of Fusarium, will help to avoid problems in the future. Blackleg is a disease caused by bacteria. The signs of the disease are described in the name: the stalk of the tomato turns black, the plant droops and falls. If the tomato is infected, it will not be possible to cure it. The diseased plant is destroyed. The cause of the disease is clearly a combination of contaminated soil and an excess of moisture. An excess of moisture combined with a lack of heat leads to rotting of the plant. Usually rot affects the tomato at the germination stage. Seeds simply do not germinate and, so to speak, "disappear" from the ground.

How to help seedlings

Tomato seedlings, like a child, must be handled very delicately. There is no need to “OVER” anything: overfeed, overheat, overcool ...

The main condition for the growth of tomatoes - comfortable conditions. You need to take care of this even in the winter. If the apartment is cool and the weather is cloudy, build a mini-greenhouse by placing it not on the windowsill, but on a free table. The greenhouse can be heated and illuminated with one or two lamps, positioning them so that the heat of the lamps does not burn the plants. It will not work to restore very weak, frail sprouts by watering with a “magic mixture”. It is better not to waste time and nerves, throw away the damaged seedlings and plant a new one instead. Subject to the basic rules of temperature and watering, the seeds germinate in a week.

In an apartment it is difficult to grow a lot of seedlings. Here it is necessary to bet not on quantity, but on quality. Buy high-quality seeds in the store, pick each plant into a separate pot and grow a good harvest.


After the tomatoes are picked, vegetable growers are often surprised that the plants do not develop well, and the harvest is not as much as we would like. The reason is simple: the picking process is the most milestone life of tomatoes. The number of tomatoes harvested this season depends on how timely and correctly the operation was performed. Tomato picking is the correct shortening of the main, so-called tap root of a young plant to the fruiting stage.

When to perform the operation?

The most common picking method is simultaneous transshipment, that is, transplanting a young plant into a separate pot from a common bowl in which the seeds were sown. Some advise to follow lunar calendar and start the operation at the moment when the tomato seedlings are subject to the influence of the waning moon. This has not been scientifically proven, which means that it can only be used as advisory measures at the request of the gardener. The rest of the gardeners are guided next rule: at seedlings, pinch off the tip of the root about a week after germination. In the event that the seedlings grow poorly, the procedure is postponed until the tenth day from the moment the seedlings hatch.

What mistakes can a grower make?

The main picking errors are as follows:

  • too early procedure;
  • shortening was made too late;
  • poorly executed operation: the removed part of the root remains partially on the plant;
  • too much removed;
  • performance without disinfection of hands or instruments;
  • inaccurate subsequent transshipment into a separate pot;
  • breakage of the stem or tear of the leaves;
  • plants received poor-quality care after transplantation.

Pinching the tap root too early will take a lot of strength from the plant. Shortening after seedlings develop into young plant with several pairs of real leaves - a waste of time and effort, which will not help tomatoes in any way. If the transplant after the operation was performed carelessly, and during the process, half-removed pieces of the root remained on the plant, fungal and bacterial diseases at tomatoes. The same can be said about picking with unwashed hands that have not been rinsed with at least a solution of potassium permanganate. Damage to foliage and stems at this stage of seedling growth threatens to lose individual plants and future infection of weakened tomatoes with diseases.

A small amount of potassium permanganate diluted in warm water, will help to avoid infection of seedlings with spores of harmful fungi and prevent the death of the crop, which is why it is worth taking care of disinfection. Some gardeners recommend dipping a young tomato immediately after removing a part of the root by about 1-2 mm in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.


How to correct the mistakes made?

Not all actions can be qualified as errors. There are minor errors that do not guarantee the death of tomatoes, but only lead to the fact that the culture grows poorly and slowly. Why this happens, can only tell experienced gardeners. First, if the plant is not watered before picking, it can be more seriously damaged. And even if they then transplanted into too large a container or accidentally damaged the entire root system, shaking off too much earth before transshipment - this is also one of the answers to the question why the tomato does not grow like other seedlings. However, in most cases, the consequences of an illiterate pick can be corrected or at least minimized the harm caused to the plant.

If there are suspicions that the process was of poor quality or untimely, and the seedlings are growing much more slowly or unevenly, you can try to fix everything. You can try to cover small wilted seedlings with glasses of clear glass or put transparent bags on the pots, pulling them together with an elastic band at the base of the pot. Why is it important not to do this procedure immediately after watering? Excessive humidity can contribute to rotting and the development of fungal diseases. However, this can save some of the weakened seedlings.

In addition, it is worth leaving young plants in the place where they were before picking, without changing anything in the watering schedule and daylight hours.

The smallest tomatoes can be put forward so that they receive more sunlight.

Those tomatoes that got too severe damage, it is better to dispose of immediately. If, after transplanting, it turned out that two or even three plants grow in one of the pots, it is better not to disturb them with re-transshipment.


Conclusion

Picking is a simple and at the same time a crucial stage in the life of a young seedling, the health of seedlings, its ability to adapt to new conditions depends on it. open ground and even as a whole the amount of harvest received for the season. Despite the fact that for the implementation of this operation you will need only a certain number of pots, earth and fingers, you must take it with all responsibility.

Compliance with the timing of picking, cleanliness of the procedure and careful attitude to seedlings will allow you to get healthy plants suitable for planting on suburban area.

Problems when growing seedlings can arise not only for a beginner, who is sure to confuse something, but also for a professional. To understand what we are doing wrong, we have prepared this material, in which we will talk about the main problems when growing seedlings of absolutely any vegetable crops.

REASON 1

Let's start with seeds. It happens that even after high-quality training, for some reason they do not sprout or sprout very badly. Why is this happening?

The most common cause- the seeds are just old, with a lost germination period. Therefore, if you don’t know what kind of seeds you are planting for seedlings, then at least soak them for a couple of hours in any growth stimulant - Elina, Heteroauxin and similar safe but reliable substances.

REASON 2

The problem may be in excessive deepening of seeds in the soil. Let's say celery. It is impossible to plant its seeds in the soil at all, it is enough to place them on the surface. Seeds of bell pepper or tomato should be planted to a depth of no more than a centimeter; if you dig deeper, then, most likely, they will either germinate for a long time, or not sprout at all.

REASON 3

Very wet and cold soil. Remember: the soil must be moist, but not damp, for which purpose make holes in the bottom of the container in which you will sow the seeds. It is also impossible to overheat the soil by placing a container with seeds directly on the radiator, as you risk simply boiling them.

REASON 4

But the seeds have come up. A day goes by, another and the shells do not shed the seeds. Think it's ok? Of course not!

Seedlings hide under caps of seed scales, most likely due to the fact that the seedlings are weakened and unable to get rid of the shells themselves. Then very carefully, with the tip of a needle, these same shells can be removed.

But there is another reason - if you planted the seeds too small or immediately after sowing the seeds, you did not cover the bowl with the seeds with cling film or glass.

REASON 5

Another seedling problem - uneven shoots. It's most likely the seeds. Therefore, before sowing, they must be calibrated: large and dense planted in one container, and frail and small - in another.

But the reason may be in the different depth of the seeds during sowing. To avoid this, make grooves of the same depth and lay out the seeds in them.

REASON 6

Shoots appeared together, began to develop actively, but then, as if on command, they died.

You can't slow down here! As soon as this is noticed, immediately transplant them into another container with an updated substrate. There are many reasons for lodging seedlings, these are irregular watering, and drying of the soil layer, and overflow, and cold soil ...

REASON 7

black leg or root rot, also detrimental to seedlings. You can notice the presence of a black leg on seedlings if you take a closer look at its base - literally at the very root, part of the stem will be thinner and blacker than the rest of the stem.

Usually, the black leg actively develops with an excess of moisture both in the soil and in the air. Either because the room is too cold, the seedlings grow thicker, or the soil was initially infected with this infection.

To prevent the appearance of a black leg, it is better to spill the soil with boiling water before sowing seeds in it.

Indoors, try to maintain the temperature at 21-22 degrees Celsius, and water only when the topsoil dries out a little.

Naturally, all affected plants must be removed and discarded, and the soil should be sprinkled with a layer of a couple of millimeters of dry and oven-baked river sand.

REASON 8

After picking, the plants suddenly stopped developing.

If it lasts only a day or two, then it does not matter, but if a week, then it's time to sound the alarm. And again, there can be many reasons - for example, when picking, you badly damaged the roots and they are now recovering. Or you dived plants that are not very fond of this process, for example bell pepper or cucumber. Such crops are best sown immediately in peat pots, which can then be planted in the ground without any picking.

Sometimes the reason why the seedlings stopped growing after picking is painfully banal - you did not press the soil around the seedling after transplanting, air bubbles formed around the roots, and the roots began to dry out.

REASON 9

The seedling stretched out. Why? Most likely, the reason lies in the lack of light, combined with excessive high temperature in room. This often happens, especially in apartments, when the owner forgot about installing lighting lamps, it’s still dark outside, and the utility service, despite the fact that it’s already “warmer” outside, still burns fuel oil or gas “in winter”.

In fact, already on the fourth day after the emergence of seedlings above the soil surface, it is necessary to lower the air temperature in the room, bringing it to 20 degrees, and install additional lighting lamps - best of all LED. And do not forget to turn the seedlings towards the light more often, at least once a week, and place the lamps at a distance of 20-25 cm from the seedlings and no further.

REASON 10

Seedlings suddenly changed color. If the leaves turn pale, then it is advisable to add to the soil nitrogen fertilizers, for which dissolve 10 g of urea in a bucket of water and add to square meter nursery soil per liter of solution.

If the leaves turn completely or partially purple, then this means that the room is cold. Do not forget: lower limit the temperature at the growth stage is +15 degrees, so try to quickly raise the temperature in the room and add superphosphate and potassium sulfate in the same dosage as urea. If the edges on the seedlings suddenly began to dry out, then rather save it by adding potassium monophosphate in the amount of 14 g per bucket of water - the norm per square meter of soil.

REASON 11

Pests. This problem at home does not manifest itself often, but anything can happen. Seedlings can be attacked by aphids, spider mite or whitefly. Here it is best to use the minimum doses of insecticides and acaricides (against a tick), strictly following the instructions on the package and using only approved drugs.

REASON 12

And finally, the problem: what will you do if it’s time to plant seedlings for a long time, and it’s cold outside? There is a way - seedlings can be slowed down in growth and development. To do this, pinch the crowns literally by 1-1.5 cm. Remember: this is an emergency, an emergency exit, so to speak.

Well, we coped with all the problems, it remains to harden the seedlings, exposing them to cold balcony first for a couple of hours, then for 3-4 hours, then for a day and, finally, for a day, and only after that you can safely plant them in the ground.

ATTENTION!

When collecting seeds by hand and storing them for storage, be sure to write the date of collection and bookmarking on the package where you place the seeds, and when buying seeds, make sure that the inscription on the bag is printed with a “live seal” and not a typographical print. In fact, vegetable seeds do not last as long as you might think.

For example, cucumber seeds in the seventh year of storage will give no more than 10% germination, cabbage seeds about the same or slightly less, radish seeds - less than five percent, seven-year carrot seeds will not sprout at all - they lose their germination after four years of storage, like seeds celery. Tomato seeds are considered to be long-lived in terms of maintaining germination - they can grow by 55-60% even in the tenth year of storage, but beetroot seeds will lose their germination by that time, although they will lie for 6-7 years for sure.

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